Instep-support.



M.'G. R. FAIR.

INSTEP SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1908.

1,086,358, Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

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MbifgarefCi iFair COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO" WASHINGTON, D C

MARGARET C. R. FAIR, OF EAST CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

INSTEP-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

Application filed November 11, 1908. Serial No'. 462,090.

To a 207mm it may concern lie it known that I. Irianoarurr It. FAIR. acitizen of the lfnited States, and a resident of Fast Cambridge, in thecounty of Middlescx and Commonwealth of lilassachusetts, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Instep-Supports, of which thefollowing is a specification.

For the help of weak insteps or broken arches, it is customary to insertin the shoe a steel arch fixed to a suitably shaped piece of leather.Such steel arches are, however, so ccmparatively unyielding that theyfrequently injure rather than remedy the foot, render the gait of thewearer stiff and stilted, and weaken the muscles of the feet, throughdisuse.

The object of this invention is the construction of an arch or instepsupport which shall not be open to the recited defects, but will on thecontrary, while fully supporting the instep. bepliable, resilient,self-adjusting, automatically giving supportto the portion of the footwhich needs it, and in addition possessing other advantages, such as acapability of being readily varied to fit the footboth when first wornand also as the foot increases in strength.

Referring to the drawings forming'part of this specification, Figure 1is a longitudinal section 011 the line YY in Fig. '2 of an instepsupport made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a'view of thesupport from beneath, before the exterior. chamois under layer has beenapplied thereto. Fig. 3 isa cross section on the line X-X in Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a face view of the reinforcing spring. Fig. 5 is an edge viewof the same.

In the construction of this instep support, I first take a suitablestrip of leather 1 shaped to fit the intermediate part of the shoe forwhich it is intended. and then give it the proper transverse andlongitudinal curvatures indicated in Figs. 1 and 3; the same beingsubstantially identical with the leather now customarily used inconnection with steel arches. As soon as thus curved, what is to be theunder surface of the leather is given a coating of shellac, as indicatedby the stippling 2 in Fig. 2. A quantity of curled hair 3 is now appliedto the leather arch 1, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, and confined inplace by means of a square of fabric.

preferably cotton cloth 1, either stitched at its edges to the arch 1,or held by said shellac,

or by both the shellac and the stitches. Over this fabric 1 is placed asheetof pliable leather 5 strongly stitched at its edges to the arch 1by one or more rows of stitches 6.

hrough this leather 5 are cut. three slits; one a substantialsemi-circle near one end for the purpose of forming a movable flap 7giving access to the space between said leather 5 and the fabric a; andthe other two slits being straight and parallel near the midlength ofthe leather to form the neck 8. leaf spring 10 formed of resilientmetal, as thin steel well tempered. and normally arched as shown in Fig.5, but otherwise shaped as illustrated in Fig. i, is then insertedthrough the opening 11 formed by bending the flap 7 outward, and alsoexterior to the neck 8, to the position indicated by the dotted lines 12in Fig. An exteriorlayer of chamois skin 15 being pasted or otherwisesecured beneath the entire instep support, and itself formed with a flap16 corresponding in location to that first described and also with anopening 17 for providing ventilation, the invention is complete.

In case the foot for which the instepsupport is desired is naturallyquite flat, then the spring 10 will be withdrawn from place, given aslightly less pronounced curvature, and returned. If the foot isnaturally ahigh-arched one, then in the same manner the spring will bewithdrawn, bent to a sharper curve, and returned. In the same way thespring can be adjusted to accommodate a flat foot at the beginning ofthe treatment, and afterward more strongly arched to fit the foot as itbecomes stronger and nearly normal in shape. Said spring is made quiteflexible and incapable of too strong local pressure against the arch ofthe foot, so that it cannot produce a hurtful effect, while itsresilience causes it to constantly maintain a yielding upward pressurewhere required. Its flexibility and resilience further permit of aportion of the strain of supporting the instep being taken by themuscles of the foot, and so causes them to steadily acquire newstrength, instead of weakening them still further by disuse.

The action of the curled hair 3 is to fill the space between the sole ofthe shoe and the arch of the foot therein, and by its cushioning actionto properly support the instep. This supplements the spring 10, and byits readjustment in position acts to accumulate at points where the footmost needs it; thus serving to accomplish this function.

rendering this instep support automatically adjusting. At the same time,this curled hair cushion does not interfere With the flexibility of theinstep support, While its slight resilience provides a limited bellowseffect which serves to give a circulation to the air Within it. This aircirculation is produced by the compression of the curled hair and theWalls surrounding it, and the consequent expulsion of the air therein;the expulsion being permitted by the opening 11. Then as the pressure ofthe foot is taken olf and the curled hair again expands its Walls, airis drawn in to fill the vacancy. This circulation keeps the instepsupport dry, and at the same time reduces foot-perspiration.

The object of the leather sheet 5 is mainly to retain the spring 10 inplace, the stitches keeping the spring from longitudinal displacement,and the neck 8 holding it from lateral movement. The purpose of thechamois skin 15 is-partially to conceal the other parts and so improvethe appearance of the article, but mainly to keep the instep supportfrom slipping along the shoe sole; the rough unfinished surface of thechamois The instep support is also a mose efficient article even withoutthe spring 10, the curled hair alone serving by its resilience andpliable action to provide the required support for the foot.

WVhat I claim as my invention and for which I desire Letters Patent isas follows, to Wit:

1. An instep support comprising a pliable arch, a fibrous pad beneaththe same, a leaf spring beneath said pad, and a sheet beneath saidspring and pad and secured at its edges to said arch, said sheet beingformed With an opening for the removal and replacement of said spring.

2. An instep support comprising a pliable arch, a fibrous pad beneaththe same, a leaf spring beneath said pad, and a leather sheet beneathsaid spring and pad; said sheet having tWo parallel slits for thereception of the spring and an opening for its removal.

An instep support comprising a leather arch, a quantity of curled hairbeneath the same, fabric inclosing said curled hair, a leaf springbeneath said fabric, a sheet of leathersecured to said arch below saidspring and fabric and having an opening for the re moval of said spring,means for retaining the spring in position, and chamois skin secured tosaid arch beneath said sheet and formed With an opening for the removalof said spring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention, 1 have hereunto setmy hand this 6th day of November, 1908.

MARGARET C. R. FAIR.

WVitnesses:

JOHN J. HENDERSON, HERBERT M. BRIDEY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

